Rays 3, Orioles 1

Starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson pitches against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field on June 4, 2011 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, Md. (AP) - Jeremy Hellickson took a three-hitter into the seventh inning to earn his first win in 10 starts, and the Tampa Bay Rays got a home run from light-hitting Brooks Conrad in a 3-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night.

Jeff Keppinger had two hits and an RBI for the Rays, who were playing their first road game since the All-Star break. Tampa Bay made the most of six hits in bouncing back from two straight 2-1 defeats against Seattle.

Hellickson (5-6) gave up one run and three hits in 6 1-3 innings, striking out four and walking none. The right-hander was 0-6 since beating Boston on May 16, although he allowed more than three earned runs only once during his losing streak.

Jake McGee struck out the only two batters he faced, Joel Peralta worked a perfect eighth and Fernando Rodney got three outs around two walks to complete the three-hitter and pick up his 28th save in 29 tries.

Adam Jones hit his 23rd homer for the Orioles, who have lost two straight following a five-game winning streak. Baltimore has allowed three runs or fewer in seven straight games.

Baltimore starter Wei-Yin Chen (8-6) yielded three runs and four hits in 6 2-3 innings. The Taiwanese left-hander issued three walks, and two of those runners came around to score.

Sam Fuld, activated off the 60-day disabled list by Tampa Bay before the game, went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in his season debut. He had been sidelined since undergoing wrist surgery on April 3.

Tampa Bay went up 2-1 in the fifth when Fuld walked and Conrad homered with two outs. Conrad, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, stepped to the plate with a .180 average and one homer in 50 at-bats.

The Rays added a run in the sixth. B.J. Upton drew a leadoff walk, reached third with one out and scored on a bloop single by Keppinger.

Both starting pitchers were in control early. Neither team got a runner past first base until the fourth inning, when Jones hit a 1-1 fastball over the wall in center field. It was his third home run in 21 career at-bats against Hellickson.

NOTES: Tampa Bay took a 4-3 lead in the season series and improved to 124-123 all-time against Baltimore. ... Four of the team-high 18 homers allowed by Hellickson have been hit by the Orioles. ... Chen has given up eight home runs in his last seven starts after yielding only eight in his first 13 outings. ...... The Orioles fell to 34-16 in games decided by one or two runs. ... Rays LHP David Price will vie for his major league-leading 14th win on Wednesday night. Rookie Miguel Gonzalez (2-1) will start for Baltimore. ... Keppinger is batting .458 (27-for-59) against left-handers this season. ... The Orioles signed 25-year old Cuban outfielder Hentry Urrutia to a minor league contract. Urrutia, who played in the Cuban League from 2006-10, will be assigned to Double-A Bowie.

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